Former Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell was one of the party’s first MPs to indicate unhappiness with the Coalition’s programme for government, stating he would vote against any increase in student tuition fees that October’s Browne review on university funding might recommend. Under the terms of the Coalition agreement, Lib Dem MPs were supposed only to abstain on any such measure.
However, this week’s Times Higher Education Supplement indicates that the Coalition’s proposals for a graduate contribution may just be enough to win Ming over:
Speaking in the run-up to the Lib Dem conference in Liverpool starting on 18 September, he said that provided a new system of payment was progressive, and did away with the current regime of fees and loans, then it may gain his support, even if, unlike a graduate tax, payments were made direct to universities.
Almost all Lib Dem MPs signed a pledge to students before the election to oppose a rise in fees, which could be recommended next month by the independent review of student finance led by Lord Browne of Madingley, the former chief executive of BP.
Sir Menzies said Lib Dem MPs would need to see the detail of Lord Browne’s proposals before deciding whether they could support higher contributions under a new system.
However, he said: “All of the discourse has been based on the predication that individuals will have to make a greater contribution. The question is how that can be achieved in a way least damaging to social mobility and opportunity.”
A system of tuition fees and loans was wrong, he said, as it saddled individuals with a large debt from the moment they started their course.
But he added: “Do we hear anyone arguing that in the present financial crisis it should be possible to create a system that does not include a greater contribution?”
Sir Menzies’ view may be seen as a softening of position by the coalition, which is keen to find a solution to student finance that Lib Dem MPs can support.
Another Lib Dem MP, David Ward, a member of the select committee overseeing government policy on universities, went even further, saying he had changed his view on the issue.
Mr Ward, a former principal lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University, said: “My view has changed over the years … because I saw the need for more money to go into higher education and, coupled with the financial crisis, I do start to think, is it wrong for those that benefit to pay more?”
Julian Huppert, has still to be convinced, however:
The issue will be a hot topic at the Lib Dem conference, where a number of MPs have tabled an emergency motion to discuss student finance. One of them, the Lib Dem MP for Cambridge, Julian Huppert, said he would be suspicious of any system that simply removed reference to fees and debt.
“If it is the same as we have now and we just change the language then I am not interested,” he said.
3 Comments
@ Ming “Do we hear anyone arguing that in the present financial crisis it should be possible to create a system that does not include a greater contribution?”
Yes Ming the entire party was arguing this a few months ago prior to the election . Dont manifesos mean anything any more was ours just a cynical PR stunt ????
Errr, shouldn’t someone tell Sir Ming that due to devolution, nothing that the coalition will decide will effect his constituents and really this is just meddling.
Tuition fees have damaged social mobility.This policy by the last labour government halted social mobility in the country.We now have an entire generation who will do worse than their parents.Lib Dems in government must press the coalition partners and prevent increases in tuition fees causing more damage.